joy: week 8

a good book, some good music, a good walk

Hello and happy Sunday. I go back to work this Wednesday after over two months of being home on sick leave. I’m happy to be going back and entering real life again. Happy to get off my couch and get back into a routine. But I would not call going to work a joy so let’s move on to the thing that did bring me bouts of happiness.

Blue skies

After a few days of the sky being an eerie yellowish brown and staying inside with the windows and doors shut tight, after the world smelling like smoke and canceled baseball games and a 24 hour headache, the skies cleared and it was so great to see. I felt true joy as I opened my windows back up and let the fresh air in. I feel for the people in Canada who are living with this still, who have fled their homes or can’t go outside. Climate change is real.

A short walk

I’ve been pretty much sedentary since March. Between my three times in the hospital and recovering from surgery, I haven’t been able to move around much. Well, Saturday got the best of me. I was feeling restless and agitated and not well mentally, so I decided to suck it up and see if I can do a full walk around the block. And I did! It was a beautiful day and truly enjoyed being outside. Saw two cats, two houses with Pride flags hanging, and someone walking a giant ass dog. I was a little short of breath at the end, but I made it. It felt so good to be moving and doing something other than sitting on the couch and when I got back inside, I no longer felt like I was choking on depression. Walks are good!

Reading a good book

I’m reading! It’s been so long since I have read more than ten pages of a book. Somewhere in the last three years I lost my ability to concentrate on the written word and I stopped reading all together. It was too frustrating too pick up what appeared to be a good book and to put it down fifteen minutes later because my brain just wouldn’t cooperate. And then along comes this book, written by my twitter friend Chris Payne. It’s subject is something I’m very interested in so it was easy to get into, and I found myself riveted by the oral history within, so much so that I am halfway done with the book already. It’s such a pleasure to read, to turn the pages knowing that I’m making headway, to see all these stories unfold. This book is enlightening, captivating, and so incredibly interesting to me. Maybe I will be able to get to the rest of my pile when I’m done with this.

Steely Dan

I bought this CD last week and I’m so glad I did. I have a nice collection of Steely Dan CDs now (their vinyl is out of my reach), but this one is my favorite because it’s banger after banger. I have listened to this about ten times already and it always makes me feel soothed and calm and happy. Steely Dan is my comfort music.

Hope you all had a good week and found some joy in it. Once again, this little exercise has helped me realize that life is full of little surprises that make us smile through all that is ailing us. Sometimes a pick-me-up can be found in something as simple as a short walk or a good book. Have a good week ahead!